Thread separator for spinning machines



April 14, 1936.

M. F. HAAS THREAD SEPARATOR FOR SPINNING MACHINES Filed Sept. 7, 1934/ SNO: wens lfrangible material which Patented Apr. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES THREAD SEPARATOR FOR SPINNING MACHINES Martin F. Haas,

Application September 1 Claim.

l The present invention relates to thread separators, and particularly to those separators adapted for use with the feed rolls of spinning machines. Y

In the process of spinning silk individual threads of silk from separate spools are guided over a feed roll and fed to the twisting ring. In order to avoid kinks and insure smooth and evenly twisted silk strands it is essential that the individual silk threads in passing over the feed roll be carefully separated and guided in parallelism before being fed to the twisting ring. In order to accomplish this end it is common practice in the art to provide a separator or guide of smooth and frangible material immediately above or adjacent the feed roll to guide the threads passing therearound.

It has been found in practice that while thread guides as above described will efciently separate the individual threads, such guides cause a great deal of trouble due to chipping and breaking of the frangible material forming the guides. Loss of time in the spinning operation necessitated by replacement of broken guides, added expense incurred through purchase of additional guides, and loss of thread by damage and fouling in passing over the defective guides all cause increase in expense of manufacturing and cost of the final product. v

The present invention successfully overcomes these difficulties by providing a device of novel-- and simple construction designed both to more efficiently perform the thread separating operation and to afford a structure of maximum durability and strength.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a thread separator of maximum strength and resistance to fracture.

A further object of my invention resides in the provision of a thread separator embodying is reinforced and strengthened against chipping and fracture.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a thread separator having a guiding surface adapted to positively segregate the thread strands passing thereover.

A still further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a thread separator which with maximum efciency performs the dual function of guiding and positively separating the thread strands passing thereover.

Another object of this invention is to provide a thread separator presenting a plurality of guide surfaces for threads passing thereover.

Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

7, 1934, Serial N0. 743,152 (o1. 117-21) Referring now to the several views of the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmental view in side elevation of my improved thread separator and those parts of a spinning machine associated therewith.

Figure 2 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation as seen when viewing Figure 1 from the left thereof.

Figure 3 is a top plan View of the separator and holder therefor forming the present invention.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is View in isometric of my improved thread separator.

With continued reference to the drawing i5 wherein like reference characters are employed to denote like parts throughout the several views, Figures 1 and 2 disclose stationary frame members II adapted to support the feed roll mechanism presently to be described. A vertical' rod 20 I2 accommodated by the frame structure is adapted to support a thread guide I3 by means of guide arm I4 and a collar I5 ixedly secured to shaft I2 by means of a set screw I6. Also supported on frame II is abracket I'I adapted to support a shaft housing I8. Housing I8 incloses a drive shaft I9 which at its rear extremity is connected to a prime mover or other suitable source of power.

Keyed to shaft I9 is a drive gear 2l adapted :30 for meshing engagement with a gear 22 secured to feed roll 23. Gears 2| and 22 are enclosed from dirt and foreign matter by means of a shield structure 24. Secured to the bottom of shield 24 is a wire pigtail 25 adapted to guide 35 the thread strands upon leaving the feed roll.

From the structure thus far described it will be clear that drive shaft I9 by means of gears 2| and 22 is effective to cause rotation of feed roll 23. Such rotation of the feed roll draws thread 40 through guide I3, around the feed roll 23, and thence down through guide 25 to the spinning ring (not shown).

Thread strands being led to the spinning ring must be free from kinks and twists in order to 4 insure a smooth and uniform thread after the spinning operation. Thus it is necessary to provide means on the feed roll for separating the individual thread strands and guiding the same in parallelism toward the twisting ring. For this purpose a thread separator assembly 2'I is secured above feed roll 23. Assembly 21 comprises a holder 28 and a guide member 29.

With reference now to Figures 3, 4 and 5 in 55 particular the holder 29 consists generally of a horizontal arm 3| and a vertically depending arm 32. Provided in arms 3| and 32 are slots 33 and 34 adapted to receive screws 35 and 36 for securing the holder with respect to the feed roll. It will readily be seen that by means of slots 33 and 34 adjustment of holder 28 relative to the feed roll is made possible. Horizontal arm 3l of the holder is further provided with a depressed portion- 31 and apertures 38 and 39 for receiving guide member 29 in a manner presently to be set forth.

Guide 29 as best seen from the perspective of Figure 5 is formed of a metallic base member 4I upon which is superimposed a coating 42 of frangible material such as porcelain or the like. Base member 4| may be formed from a blank of suitable shape and thickness by a simple pressing or stamping operation. The relatively thin rnetallic blank which may be employed affords a finished base member of light but rigid nature. Further, due to the simplicity of design `required by the 'base member, but a single operation is necessary in the stamping or pressing operation and dies of a simple and inexpensive design may be employed thus materially reducing the cost of 'equipment incident to manufacture and the resulting cost of the finished product.`

Coating 42 of frangible and vitreous material may be superimposed upon the base 4I in a simple operation which results in a smooth and rounded guiding surface adapted to separate the thread strands. Coating 42 may be made relatively thin or as shown in the drawing may be of about the same thickness as the metallic base member.

The finished separator thus affords a strong but light metallic structure which is provided with a glazed guiding surface by means of a superimposed coating of vitreous material.

Member 29 in transverse section has a generally semi-circular configuration providing leg supports 43 and 44 and a rounded surface 45 adapted for guiding a plurality of thread strands. Member 29 is longitudinally provided with a slight taper and near the narrow end thereof is formed a protuberance 46 for the purpose of segregating certain of the thread strands passing over guide surface 45. Guide member 29 at Vthe ends thereof is provided with tab extensions 41 and 48 adapted for reception in slots 33 and 39 respectively of holder 28.

Assembly of guide 29 within holder 28 is effected by insertion of tab 48 within slot 39 and lowering of member 29 within depression 31 of the holder until legs 43 and 44 of the guide rest on the bottom of depression 31, and tab 41 is accommodated within aperture 38. In this position guide 29 is firmly supported by its legs 43 and 44 which rest on the holder and is restrained against lateral shifting by tabs 41 and 48 which are accommodated within apertures 38 and 39.

When the assembled guide and holder assembly 21 is mounted with respect to the feed roll 23, thread strands in passing around the feed roll pass over surface 45 of the guide member and in so doing are freed from kinks and other irregularities. lIhe thread strands in passing over surface 45, however, tend to pull in toward the center and become tangled due to the fact that the threads just below the feed roll are twisted together under tension and torsional loads im# posed on the threads react back to the feed roll. In left-twister thread, especially, the outside lap tends to pull in toward the center of the feed roll. For this reason protuberance 46 is provided to keep the last lap or several of the outside laps of thread passing about the feed roll from pulling toward the center and causing entanglement.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:-

A thread separator comprising a base member of non-frangib-le material; a layer of porcelain superimposed on said base member to provide a surface for guiding a plurality of thread strands, said base member and saidlayer of porcelain being formed with a protuberance having a surface gradually merging into said guiding surface for segregating certain of said thread strands. 

